Healthy Recipes and Great Party Ideas

Try these quick and healthy recipes for your next gathering

Nov 11, 2009

Mark Andrew

Healthy Bites Even tiny treats can take a toll on your waistline, so we came up with healthy appetizer ideas that are low-cal, easy to make, and totally yummy—and use ingredients you probably already have on hand.

1 Remove polenta from package and slice into 16 rounds. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add polenta and cook until golden on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

2 Top each round with a slice of ham, a cheese shaving, and basil leaf.

1 Preheat oven to 425°F. On baking sheet (with sides), combine asparagus and olive oil, then roll in bread crumbs and salt to taste. Place asparagus in single layer on baking sheet. Squeeze lemon on top.

2 Bake asparagus for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender (time will vary depending on the thickness of the spears). Season with pepper to taste.

Cocktail Time! Turns out, the most economical strategy is also the easiest: mix big batches of a few specialty cocktails, then place the pitchers next to a bowl of ice, along with a shaker and an assortment of glasses, and let your guests pour their own.

Pour bourbon, ginger ale, and OJ into a tall pitcher and stir. Serve over ice and garnish with orange wedges.

Makes 10 servings.

Bargain Bubbly A party without champagne is like a cupcake without frosting—it's just not as special . These bottles taste as good as the expensive stuff, but won't set you back more than $15. To cocktail it up, freeze single raspberries in ice cubes made with peach or pear juice. Drop a cube into each glass before serving.

Veuve du Vernay Brut, from $6.99 A very light, crisp, and clean dry sparkling wine with hints of pear and apple from France's Loire Valley.

1. Create a cool invite You may not think of your invitation as part of the decor, but it sets the tone for the whole event. A quick Evite suggests a party that's thrown together—not exactly the can't-miss event of the year—and it may leave your friends open to other celebrations, says Paige Anderson, a party planner with Bash Eco Events in Los Angeles. Instead, snap a photograph that captures the spirit of your soiree—you holding some mistletoe, your pooch dressed up in a Santa hat, a bottle of your favorite champagne—and have it printed onto postcards at snapfish.com. For about a buck each, you'll have custom invites that are so much cooler than pricey letterpress and will charm your friends into saving the date.

2. Lighten up You don't need to fill your place with candles to create a flame-lit, luxe-lounge look. "Dim your overhead lights, or turn them off entirely," says Bronson van Wyck, an event planner in New York City. "Then swap 15-watt lightbulbs into all of your table and floor lamps for the night." You'll save cash in the long run because you can use the bulbs again at a future fete. (And of course the low wattage will also save you a few cents on your electric bill.) Simple white Christmas-tree lights are another low-cost option that mimic candle-lit ambience. "Attach them to the corners of each room using teacup hooks, and string them across the ceiling in an X formation," says Anderson. "It evokes a starry night and is more beautiful than the trite and expected move of draping the lights across the mantel."

3. Trick out the table If you don't have enough matching plates and glasses to suit your guest list, don't freak out and try to find sets on eBay. Instead, go basic on your other table decor and let the different patterns and shapes serve as a design. "With a neutral tablecloth and white lights, various styles of glasses and appetizer plates actually become the decoration," Anderson says.

To dress up your appetizer buffet without going overboard, place platters of food on beds of fresh pine bows, suggests Sally Horchow, lifestyle expert and author of The Art of Friendship. Or place sprigs of green ivy on the corners of the serving plates, recommends Colleen Mullaney, author of It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere. Here's another chic touch: Wrap sets of utensils in napkins, tie the bundles with bits of holiday ribbon or simple twine, and tuck in a mini candy cane or a sprig of rosemary or pine. "Something as simple and inexpensive as this can make your spread sparkle," Anderson says.

4.Add a snazzy centerpiece Yeah, you could drop $100 on some exotic floral arrangement, but what's the point when supermarkets and corner florists sell bouquets for less than $10 that can be transformed into something special? "Break up an inexpensive bouquet of flowers into smaller bundles and display them in bud vases, teacups, julep glasses, or water tumblers," suggests van Wyck. "The flowers will stand out—and look more expensive—when they're separated by color or variety." Or buy one or two pricey flowers for a minimalist look. Think a single orchid stem with multiple blooms, an amaryllis, or the trendy Black Magic rose (which is actually a very deep red). "Place the flower in the center of the table and surround it with a ring of tea lights," says van Wyck.

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